The Foreigner
by AlexanderXaviorTorrin
Summary: Trapped in a world that he doesn't belong in, fighting a war that has nothing to do with him, Cloud Strife embarks on an adventuge that could very well tear his soul apart.(Chp.5 A peice of Me, updated, plz R&R)
1. The Lone Heretic

This is my first fft fanfic ever, plz don't be harsh. Now first I'd like to start off by thanking all my friends who support me and the creators of the game, Final Fantasy tactics. I'd also like to start with the disclaimer so I don't get sued. Not like they could get anything off me anyways, I don't really have anything ;p  
  
Disclaimer: I don't not own FFT (Final Fantasy Tactics) and if I did do you think I would waste my time writing this? Ah! I'd get somebody else to write it.  
  
Chp.1 The lone heretic  
  
'Why am I here? Even with her defeat I'm still here fighting. Am I destined to fight forever? Will I never return?'  
  
It was raining. Raining very hard. As if the gods themselves were crying as they watched the man clad in black walk through the empty city. The thunder shattered through the air causing people inside houses and chocobos in stables to jump and cry out but this man had long ago lost his fear of thunder. Not much scared him now. Well, except one thing. Not being able to return.  
  
The man stopped, allowing his newly acquired black cape to swirl around him like a protective cover. Protection from what, the man thought. The rain still soaked through. He shifted his head up as to see something not there. An answer to his problems perhaps. An answer to his prayers. But no answer came. Hell, they never did.  
  
The man let his head drop and continued walking. He frowned unable to see what his destiny was. He remembered being somewhere else, fighting some other battle when he was forged into this plain. A new battle awaited him here. A new battle against a great enemy that threaten the world. As usual.   
  
It seems that bad guys were running out of themes to go by. He chuckled to himself. But even the hint of laughter seemed distant from him so he could no longer chuckle or giggle. He didn't know why it was like that, why he was so cold to himself. Why he was so hardcore.  
  
'Hardcore? What kind of word is that? I never heard it here.'  
  
Another thing that made him distant. Many things made him distant from this world but the one that stuck out the most was his speech. It was so different from the medieval style of speaking here. Here where honor and respect reigned supreme. Here where your family had to be royalty in order to be accepted. Here where in one moment you could have everything and the next second you could have nothing. Here in the land of Ivalice. Never before had he heard of such a land. Not even in fairy tales but lo and behold, here he is, standing of Ivalice soil.  
  
He stopped walked as he realized he had reached the end of the city. Now it was only nothing but plains as far as the eye could see. Dorter Trade City wasn't much of a city but it did have its uses. Not the best place to hide but the Glabados Church knights and such were idiots so they didn't search this close to home. Still he had no definite direction, no definite course laid out before him. He had been wandering. God how long had he been wandering? He almost laughed when he heard the answer shouted in his mind.  
  
'Six years. Six years of nothing but wandering back and forth across Ivalice.'  
  
His mind then wandered to other things, other people. An image of only two people came up though more then those two mattered to him, only those two knew the answer to his plight.  
  
'Ramza……Mustadio…..Where in blazing hell are you guys? I know you're still alive. At least I hope you are.'  
  
*Crack*  
  
'A sound? From where?'  
  
The man's combat training took over and immediately his right hand jutted to his Rune Blade that rested on his left hip.  
  
'It couldn't have been a Chocobo. The stables are at least forty feet away from me. Too far for any sound they might make except warbling. And that sure as hell wasn't a warble.'  
  
His left hand fell to his back under his cape to grab the scarred Crystal Shield he still had from days long past. It seemed that He hadn't lost his touch. He was glad about that.  
  
*Snap*  
  
Now was time to truly test out his abilities as a soldier.  
  
'Déjà vu……….Hmmmmmm. About three of them, all heavily armored. All with shields and swords so they have to be knights. Those three are about ten feet away, behind me and behind the house to my right.'  
  
He turned his head a little to the left and heard more noises.  
  
'About six over here. Lightweights. Except…….ahhhh. Three moved up to the rooftops and the other two are keeping their distance.'  
  
His expert hearing could hear the tightening of gloves and the stringing of bows.  
  
'Now there's more. Gun cocking? Two separate guns. Sounds like a Blaze gun and a Glacier gun. That makes about eleven after me today. Odd, a little small if you ask me. Wait a minute.'  
  
Something else caught his hearing. A distinct sound that only one type of warrior made or had. It was the whooshing of a blade embodied with massive power. He had made a habit of picking out those from the average sounds and they were coming from behind him.  
  
'Shit. Four Holy Knights and two Shrine Knights. Can my day get any worse.'  
  
He quickly made count of all his weapons, long range and short and then tapped the massive weapon on his back for reassurance.  
  
'I could always use that, but for the moment it might be too slow. Now, I have ten Yagyu Darkness', (Black Shinrukens) about five lighting balls and a…….odd? Why do I have a arrow with no bow? Oh shit that isn't mine.'  
  
The Foreigner looked down and saw the arrow that barely skimmed the surface of his large baggy pants.  
  
"Damn it." He spoke quietly and in a very grave tone.  
  
"Heretic!" One of the Shrine Knights spoke. "You are under arrest for crimes against the Church! Relinquish your weapons and surrender yourself peacefully!"  
  
The man turned around slowly and saw the knight in shining white and gold armor. The moonlight reflected off the armor giving it an almost godlike appearance.  
  
"Why should I?" He spoke in the same grave tone.  
  
"Your crimes against the church shall not go unpunished. If you surrender now, you may be spared a slow and painful death."  
  
The Foreigner spat against the ground and replied, "That's what I think of your lying Church buddy."  
  
That infuriated the Knight. "How dare you!? You show no respect to the great leaders of our nation? You speak lies of deceit against the Church as well?! Then I have no choice to exercise my authority and smite you down." He pulled up his sword straight parallel to his face and then swung it down with a master's ease.  
  
"Ah, the high and mighty type. You guys make me sick. You serve the Church as if it was all you had left. You're always there waiting for beck and call. Don't you have any dignity?" 'Uh oh. Starting to sound like him.'  
  
"You're one to talk spreading rumors about the Church, placing yourself amongst side the Heretic fool known as Ramza Beoulve."  
  
"Watch what you say about Ramza you dog." The Foreigner's tone took a turn for the worst. Soon some of the other knights were rethinking about what they planned to attempt against this guy. "I never met a man with such a high definition of people and justice. He was the only true Knight I've seen since I've been here. Him and T.G. Cid, Agrias, and Meliadoul. They were true Knights fighting for what they believed in. Lavian, Alicia, Rad, Beowulf, Reis, And all the others. They were true friends and warriors. Unlike the scum you have succumbed yourself to be." 'Shit, I'm losing my real vocabulary here. I need to leave this place.'  
  
"All Heretic criminals who pledged their allegiance with the Demons." He spat back.  
  
The Foreigner wanted to wring his throat out for that one but decided against it. He would get plenty of revenge once he killed them all. Of course, he did it because he had no choice. A real dilemma. Let them live and he dies, kill them and he lives. And something inside him was forcing him to proceed with the latter. The least he could do, since they stood no chance even with Shrine and Holy Knights was let them attack first.  
  
He spread his arms open revealing his two main weapons and said, "Take the first shot."  
  
Needless to say that all the knights were shocked that he said that. Some were afraid.  
  
However the Shrine Knight was pleased. "As good as giving up." He closed his eyes as his sword glowed brightly illuminating the ground around him. "Demolish weapons with fury!" The knight pulled up his sword high into the air and then swung it down crying out, "Hellcry Punch!"  
  
Smoke appeared around the Foreigner and a slot of light appeared below his feet. But just as a massive blade came up to claim his weapon, he jumped to the side letting his sword drift out a bit and then pulled it back in, dodging the attack by barely nothing.  
  
The Shrine Knight's jaw dropped in astonishment and in fear. "But-But that's impossible! No one can dodge a Holy Sword Attack!"  
  
The Foreigner stood up and brushed his pants. "Well, hanging around Orlando for about a long time taught me quite a few things. Namely how to dodge those attacks. It took me a while and it cost me a lot of gil but I learned eventually." He threw his sword up into the air and like he expected, all the knights watched it go up thinking it was an attack. He reached behind him and pulled out three Yagyu Darkness' and flung them in the direction of the Archers. Three of them made impact on throats ripping apart the flesh and muscle that it contained. As they drowned in their own blood, he spun around pulling out three more and flung them in the direction of the knights behind the house. Two of them hit nailing throats once again but the third was deflected by a Crystal Shield.  
  
'Damn! Can't stop got to keep on going! Got to nail the….'  
  
He grabbed another two and at the end of his turn shot them at the Mediator and Chemist that were taking aim. They never saw the shirukens came at them in the darkness of the night as they claimed their lives.   
  
The Rune Blade came back down right into the Foreigner's right hand and he immediately charged at the Holy Knights first.  
  
"SWORD BREAK!" He screamed as he came down of the blade of the closest knight. The knight's sword shattered instantly and the Foreigner came back and then forward driving the sword into the knights chest through the armor. He kicked the knight off his blade and ran at the last on of the group.  
  
"Armor won't help the heart stay sharp….." It was the Shrine Knight again.  
  
The Foreigner hated this one. There was only one way to stop it. He ripped off his blue Power Sleeve and tossed it to another knight just as the Shrine Knight claimed the armor.  
  
"Shellbust Stab!" The Shrine Knight realized the fatal error he made as he swung the blade down initiating the attack. A cold gray claw blade tore through the ground under the knight and slaughtered him and the Foreigner's armor.  
  
The Foreigner had reached his target and came in first with a Shield Break shattering the knights shield and then came again with a Helmet Break as the Rune Blade axed it's way into his now unprotected head. The Foreigner stopped for a moment to regain his breath and footing. He hadn't expected the Shrine Knight to respond to his attacks so quickly. But after a breath he turned around to see the last Holy Knight come down with his blade yelling, "Weapon Break!"  
  
The Foreigner had dealt with this type of combat before, he loved it. He blocked with his shield and came back up with his sword claiming the mans sword arm.  
  
The knight jumped back howling in pain. The Shrine Knight saw this and started to back up. He couldn't believe that his entire unit had been wiped out in a matter of seconds! All of them! He wanted to run, he could have run. But instead he stayed. It was his duty. His sworn duty to the Church.  
  
"Demolish weapons with fury! Hellcry punch."  
  
The Foreigner just smiled and tossed his rune blade to the side as the attack claimed it.  
  
The Shrine Knight gasped, puzzled as to how his attacks would miss their destined target.  
  
"You're an idiot. I hate Divine Knights and Shrine Knights because they use the same useless attacks. The weapons only target that specified piece. Haven't you ever notice that when you target an animal that it doesn't work? It can't target it because it requires that certain piece of armor in order to hit it. So all the attack does is target the weapon or armor, making it useless against me and your average joe animal. So you ready for a real battle?" The Foreigner dropped his shield on the ground and reached to his back and pulled out his trade mark weapon. His Materia Blade. The massive seven foot piece of iron and steel, shaped like a butcher knife but much bigger, that people thought it was impossible to use like he did.  
  
"Cloud Strife. You really are a devil aren't you?" The Shrine Knight pulled up his sword ready for the battle of his life, for his life.  
  
"I'm a heretic remember?" His eyes took a dangerous gleam to them as he charged forward with blazing sword and then with amazing accuracy and speed, he swung up at an angle with his massive weapon. The Knight blocked with both the shield and sword but it wasn't enough as he was tossed to the side like a piece of paper.  
  
Cloud adjusted himself and charged again stopping short a foot close to him.  
  
"Sword Break!" He yelled as he came down with the blade.   
  
The knight tried in vain to put up his shield but Cloud twisted the blade to the right at the last second and using the air like a turbine, he pushed it through the air swinging the blade around in a full arc, twisting his body to add momentum, till it came in contact with the Shrine Knight's right hip. The Materia Blade tore right through his body and spilt it in two.  
  
Cloud stopped himself and the blade as the Shrine Knight's torso fell to the ground. He placed the massive weapon on his back still holding the hilt with his left hand and using his right to cross his chest and give respect to the dead.  
  
"May god be with you." The rain starting pouring relentlessly now as it washed away the blood that had continue to spill from his victims. He lifted his head to the sky and watched the rain pour on his face. He couldn't help but think now.  
  
'That's 14 dead today. 14.……So in total……Damn. 453 people dead, not including the innocents that the Church so happens to blame on me and the others. More innocent deaths caused by the HERETICS! They can blow it out their-'  
  
"Ahhhhhh!" Pain seared through his leg and he fell to one knee. He clenched his teeth and looked back afraid of what the damage could be. The back end of an arrow was protruding out the back of his upper thigh. Not the best place for an arrow. He reached back to pull it out and another arrow came and nailed his fore arm. Unfortunately for him, the arrow didn't go through.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhh! Shit!" Cloud pulled his arm back to his chest and looked at the arrow that hated him. He hated the arrow too. He used his good arm and broke the back end of the arrow then pulled out the front end. He groaned in pain as he pulled it out and tossed it to the ground, covered in his blood. He really didn't want to reach back for the other arrow. He wasn't dealing with your average Archer. This one was picking off targets with eagle eye accuracy.  
  
'Has to be a mercenary. No Church Archer is that good.'  
  
Cloud stood up ignoring the pain in his leg and leaned on his left.  
  
"Who's out there!?" He yelled out the question for anybody to answer but they both knew she was the only one out there. And she knew what she was doing. She moved like a cat, light enough for Cloud to barely catch her but the fact that they were in two very different leagues help Cloud sense her. He was created to be a Soldier after all, the very best. He could hear the stringing of the bow and then he heard the string stretching and the bow bending. The sound it made. He heard it before. Deep….Dungeon?  
  
"Perseus Bow!" Cloud yelled out as the hidden archer released the arrow and his jumped to dodge it. The arrow slit through his pants and almost hit the skin but it veered off a little sparing the skin. Cloud spun off and hid between two houses into the pure darkness.  
  
'Oh god. If she has the Perseus Bow and she used it so it wouldn't blow through me then she has to be very good. Too good for me. Odd, and I just took out four Holy knights, one Shrine Knight, three Archers, three regular Knights, one Mediator, and a Chemist and a………. Wait a minute. That's only……13. That means……Oh crap. This one was the one I missed. So she is a Galbados Church Warrior.'  
  
Cloud looked through the darkness and focused al his senses to one point. Directly in front of him. And there she was. Looking at him.  
  
His eyes gleamed dangerously as he reached for his Materia Blade and pulled it out. She let him do it too. She didn't even bother stringing the bow. She just wanted to see what he was going to do.  
  
'One shot. That's all I need. Unfortunately for me, that's all she needs as well.'  
  
His Materia Blade took a white glow as he prepared for an attack that would only need one hit, of course it took forever to use it.  
  
The woman strung her bow slowly and pulled back as far as she could, if he missed with this attack, he was dead.  
  
"Now! It's time!" Cloud ran out of the alley he was in and raised his sword back beside him.  
  
She released the arrow and it bolted forward and hit Cloud. Of course it only hit his shoulder.  
  
Cloud gasped in pain but stopped and swung the sword up then down.  
  
"OMNISLASH!" A whirlwind of red energy blew around him like a typhoon and as he brought his massive weapon near the ground the whirlwind dissipated and a sparking blast of blue energy forged above him. The mass of energy was enormous almost as big as the street itself, then it disappeared and reappeared right beside the female Archer. She cried out in unmatched pain as she felt the energy rip through her. However, it didn't kill her. Cloud lost the precious energy required to kill her when she hit him.  
  
Now's the time to run.  
  
Cloud immediately took off in the other direction and disappeared into the darkness leaving the female to suffer a painfully slow death. However, it wasn't long before he himself slowed down. He had lost a lot of blood and used up a lot of energy for his famous Omnislash. He could feel the ground shift under him as he struggled to keep awake. He had already cleared the small city and was no his way to the woods to the east. But he couldn't remember whether he made it or not. The darkness that accompanied death claimed him.  
  
Okay that's the end of my first chapter. Tell me what you guys think okay? Oh and to answer your question……I have no clue what it is, so I can't answer it. But still please review and tell me if I made a boo boo. Till then, I have to work on my other stories. Peace! 


	2. The Zodiac Stones

Chp. 2 The Zodiac Stones  
  
"My lord." A Shrine Knight kneeled in front of another man set in gold and black armor. "The unit sent out to bring in the Heretic Cloud has returned.  
  
"With Cloud I hope." His voice cold and low, straight to the point.  
  
"Unfortunately not." The Shrine Knight spoke with an uneasiness in his voice.   
  
The other sighed heavily at the news and then turned away from the flicker hearth he had recently lit. He watched the shadows jumped around in his chamber like a puppet show. He smiled slightly looking at the shadows. Each one had a memory attached to the statue or object that they projected.  
  
"I see. Leave it up to the Church to fail so miserably. The entire squad was wiped out I presume?"  
  
"No my liege. One survives." Boy did he want to leave. When the General was this calm, someone was going to die and he really didn't want it to be him.  
  
"Contact Alexie. I need to speak with him." The General turned back to the hearth and walked even closer to it. The fire licked at his face, arms and armor but he neither moved nor flinched. He didn't want to. The warmth and pain he felt gave him the sensation of being alive. At least more alive then he was.  
  
"My liege but we have already attempted to contacted Priest Alexie and he refuses to acknowledge you."  
  
The man hummed to himself and backed from the fireplace. He then painstaking took his time to turn to the side and walked up to his desk. He picked up a single piece of paper and returned to the Knight.  
  
"Here. Give this to him as you see him. Once he sees this, he will have no choice but to acknowledge my presence. Also tell him that the entire unit sent to capture Cloud Strife had been annihilated."  
  
The Knight slapped his fist against his armor and swiftly accepted the paper. "Of course my liege. I will do as you command." The Knight stood up and turned to leave though he questioned silently his last order.  
  
"One more thing." The general called out.  
  
The knight instantly turned on one heel and looked at his commander straight in the eyes.  
  
"Bring in the Knight. I would like to ask him something."  
  
"Yes, my liege." The Knight turned back around and quickly exited the room.  
  
The General sighed yet again and pulled out a large thick book from his wall of books and set it carefully on the table. The cover was old and a little rotten, a pukey green color but he wasn't interested in the cover. It was the pages that rested between the book that could seal the fate of the Galbados Church. How quaint that he find it just lying around. Fate must had planned that joyous event. Including the object that accompanied the book. Two of them in fact. Who should he give the second one to? He had pondered that question many times.  
  
He rotated around the room and saw the shadows playing again against his walls of books. Of course he had no small room. It was a King's chamber. Books lining up from corner to corner, floor to ceiling. He was always a fan of knowledge. That's what helped him become such a powerful General and an even more powerful Knight. He was so close to reaching the level of Heavenly Knight. A task only accomplished by the famous and yet ridiculed Balbanes Belouve. He had struck out violently at anybody, including his own men, who had spoken negatively against him. Though the family had suffered greatly, completely destroyed, ending with one son a dead traitor, another son a dead madman, a third son a dead heretic, and a dead daughter who was foolish enough to join the heretic, he still held tremendous respect for Balbanes' battles and tactics. He was a brilliant strategist and an even more powerful Knight. The type that he wanted to be.  
  
Soon the shadows stopped playing and the Knight entered the room. He seemed fit and well taken care of. But the stench of fear reeked from him. For a moment the General felt like hitting him but advised against it. The Knight was a member of the Church's army and the Church held the most power next to King Delita. So instead he welcomed him with wide arms and a hearty smile.  
  
"Welcome Knight. Have you found my Barracks comfortable?" He asked though this was not what he wanted to know. He wanted to know how a single man could kill off 50 of the Church's best men. He had to have a-  
  
"I dare not insult the Barrack's of the famous Dragon Knights. I will admit, they were quite…..interesting."  
  
"Good. I'm glad a member of the Galbados Church army finds my Barracks comfortable. Now I must ask you, what happened?" The General was very curious to find out.  
  
"Well, as you know the entire unit, save for me, was wiped out." The Knight started.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But it was not because of Cloud Strife, milord." He explained.  
  
The general was obviously stunned by this information. Someone else had interfered? "Regal me." He demanded.  
  
"Another fighter had came. An Archer. A very powerful and extremely skilled Archer. One of the likes I have never seen before. I never in my time ever seen an arrow pierce three heads covered in armor before."  
  
Another shock covered the General's face. "Did you find this Archer?"  
  
"No. After hitting over half our group, the subject vanished as if disappearing into the night itself. We had been left with only 14 men and still the heretic was able to dispatch them all in a matter of minutes."  
  
Silence accompanied them now. The General hadn't realized that Cloud was that good and that somebody might be helping him? It couldn't have been a Mercenary could it? No Mercenary he had ever heard of could do that.  
  
"General Elquis, I don't wish to be rude but may I be excused to return to the Church. I have to report to them this distressing news."  
  
Elquis looked up at him brushing some of his long white hair aside from his face. "Yes of course. But will you do me one thing before you leave?" General Elquis twirled around and grabbed the head of a statue he had standing. He carefully lifted it up and pulled out a sphere from the neck.  
  
The Knight was puzzled as to what he was doing but quickly recognized the ball when Elquis turned to him.  
  
"Wait! Is that a-"  
  
"I need to know if it stills works. Shall we test it out here?" Elquis voice took to heavy and dark tone as the familiar sound of locking emitted from the door behind the Knight.  
  
The Knight whirled around and ran at the door only to find that it had been indeed locked. He pounded his fist against the door and screamed out in terror. "Open the door! In the name of the Church open the door!"  
  
The hearth increased in size covering that half of the room in flames, but flames that did not touched the General or his precious books. They overshadowed him and gave him the look of the devil himself.  
  
The Knight valiantly reached for his weapon and shield and unsheathed them ready to defend himself.  
  
Elquis just laughed at him as the stone reacted and filled the room with all of the following, an eerie glow, a devilish roar, and the all too wretched sound of crushing bone with flesh and meat.  
  
In an instant it had been done and Elquis returned the stone in its new rightful place. Under his armor accessible at any time to show all who stand in his way.  
  
"Wonderful. It still works."  
  
Wasn't that naughty! Well this is my second chapter, reviews are welcomed, critics are allowed, but flaming is NOT! I don't take lightly to asses who diss in all caps. If you have something to say then saw it in a positive manner. One thing I wanted to say was sorry that this chapter was so short. I the original planning stages it was supposed to be much bigger but you know things change. Till my next chapter, peace be the journey. 


	3. The Village of Arrini

Chp. 3 The Village of Arrini.  
  
"Is he awake yet?" One among many a men had already asked that question and yet the answer remained the same.  
  
"For the last time no. I will notify you when he has awaken. Till then, I recommend that you return to your homes and seek a goodnight's rest." Spoke the wise and most kind Jeremiah Williams, one of the council members that governed this small village of Arrini. He was a middle aged man who had a habit of bringing in people from outside Araguay Woods. He had the most distinct features of any one in the village. Long silk black hair with dark blue eyes that seemed to give people a peace of mind but today, no one was peaceful. The reason? Three weeks ago during a hunt for food, as usual, they fell upon a man who was beyond wounds and beyond help. His injures covered his head to his toe. It seemed that the purple Vampire wolfs had gotten a hold of him. It was usual to see that some passer byer get injure severely and even killed by the dreadful beasts. Now what was not usual was the fact that the man started moving and also asking for help. Needless to say that the members of the hunting unit were scared to death thinking that some type of demon had possessed his mind and body and wanted to kill them all. So readying their weapons they prepared to kill the man demon until Jeremiah intervene. Though he was a member of the council he was also a member of the hunting teams and he had spared the young mans life saying that no demon had possessed his body. Needless to say they trusted his word, very reluctantly of course.  
  
And now, here they are arguing over the fact that he should be thrown out of the village because of who he was. However, Jeremiah refused to send him out the village because he was a supposed heretic. He denounced such things and explained that people were always loyal to god in their own way and fashion and just because someone says something different then somebody else, that doesn't justify them as a heretic or heresy. Some agreed, others didn't. He didn't mind, everyone had their own opinion and he had no right to say that their opinions were false. But he also wouldn't allow this man to be thrown out the village. He was still recovering, though he recovered remarkable faster then any other person he could think of. In other cases, the victim was in recuperation for the very least two months. Yet this young man did what they did in only three short weeks and unfortunately for him that wasn't helping his situation.  
  
"I'm sorry Jeremiah but we can't keep him in this village any longer. He is one with the devil of demons and we shall not harbor anyone who is against the Galbados Church. We have sworn to them that we would turn in any and all members of Ramza Belouve's party and this man, Cloud Strife, was among them." It was a member of the same council that Jeremiah was in who spoke.  
  
Jeremiah replied with the voice of a sage and his words were carefully chosen. "So you will forfeit this man's life just so you wont get in some trouble?"  
  
"Trouble?!" One man cried out.  
  
"Jeremiah, trouble is the least that we will receive." Another woman stated.  
  
"Jeremiah, this man's life was forfeit the moment he turned his back on St. Ajora. It cannot and will not be helped." Julius spoke this time with the vigor of a young yet naïve boy. "We just can't. the church would burn our village to the ground!"  
  
"And you still think that if they were the warriors and worshippers of St. Ajora, they would do that? If they were true to their word then they wouldn't have need for such barbaric tactics." Jeremiah grew tired of this infighting. It was always the same argument. It started with the fact that he was a heretic and that they were afraid of the Galbados Church armies and then it lead off to-  
  
"But he heals so fast! Couldn't he be what we thought him to be in the very beginning?!" This time it was the ever paranoid Lucas.  
  
"Him being a demon? How can you say that? If this man was truly a demon we would have seen bodies of dead Vampires and Cuars everywhere when we found him. Yet, we only found a pair of almost dead Cuars. IF he was a true demon, he would have already been awaken and done dispatched all of us to our eventual end. Yet, we still stand. If he was a demon-"  
  
"Jeremiah! We get the point."  
  
Jeremiah looked to the source of the voice and sighed happily. Finally somebody of decent common sense.   
  
Michael stepped forward from the little crowd in Jeremiah's house and then turned to that same crowd. His features similar to that of Jeremiah but more hardened and older. His black hair slightly diminished and his eyes dull and filled with grief.  
  
"This man is not of demon and that settles it. I trust Jeremiah with my life and by Ajora's will if I am to die by the hands of a demon and this man be that demon, so be it. I will gladly accept the fate Ajora has bestowed upon me."  
  
Everyone turned silent. Next to Jeremiah, Michael was just as respected or even more respected because he served as the protector of this village. Jeremiah took care of the internal troubles while Michael took care of the external ones. Though they were both warriors, Michael was the one who continued to fashion his skill while Jeremiah preferred a more peaceful life. And yet they were dearest of friends.  
  
"But I will not have anyone coming in this man's house and questioning his judgment in his own home! Simple as that!"  
  
Everyone turned quiet. They all had realized that they had disrespected Jeremiah in his own home and that was very dishonorable. But then the unexpected happened.  
  
"Look! He awakes!" One young girl cried out. She was sitting beside the young blonde haired man but then stood up and stepped back to her father, Jeremiah.  
  
Everyone held their breath as they saw the boy struggle in his awakening and then slowly but eagerly, his eyes fluttered open. The eyes quickly shifted from side to side attempting to perceive and translate the surroundings. The look of confusion and frustration soon appeared no his face.  
  
Jeremiah moved his daughter to the side and then walked up to the boy. Others objected but Michael soon silenced them with only a glare.  
  
The blonde haired boy's eyes turned to the old man, scanning every little feature to determine whether he was friend or foe. But they could decide on none.  
  
"Do not worry young one. My name is Jeremiah Atonac. I am the leader of internal affairs within the small village of Arrini." He said in his smoothest voice.  
  
But the boy's heart and mind could not be smooth talked. Even Jeremiah could tell that this young man was battle hardened. He spoke nothing.  
  
Michael then walked up and spoke as well. "You are safe here. The Galbados Church has no influence here. And if you are wondering, we know who you are, Cloud Strife."  
  
No one else could tell except Michael and Jeremiah but the boy had been stirred by their knowledge of his existence. However, it did not deter him from rising up slowly, only to sit on the edge of the bed. He rested his head, looking at the cold wood floor and realized that he was looking also at his feet. Some of his clothes had been removed. He quickly reached for his shirt and blade but neither was found. Not even the plate of metal that rested on his left shoulder. Even the gloves he wore had been taken off.  
  
Jeremiah smiled brightly, amused at the boys reaction to the disappearance of his clothes. "Do not worry. Your clothes were soaked with the gift of life and they required washing."  
  
Cloud looked up at Jeremiah, once again taking in his features and then for the first time in three weeks, he spoke. He voice though was low and rasp, "Where am I again?" Was the only question he could ask.  
  
Michael answered him by repeating the name of the village, "Arrini Village."  
  
Cloud looked past the two elders and onto the crowd of obliviously frightened villagers. He cursed silently at them not out of disrespect but for the reason they feared him. His cool mako eyes scanned the room and found only items of necessity not convenience. Several wooden chairs, a small but fiery hearth with a large black cauldron hanging over it, a dresser drawer topped with books , and it seemed that he was on the only bed. He turned his head again but to his left and saw a small cupboard, barely filled with items such as spices and herbs. Several of them he recognized because of his many travels to distant lands. But one thing did irk him.  
  
"My clothes and weapons?" He asked concerned they were lying about the part of the Galbados Church.  
  
Jeremiah pointed to a nearby chair and oddly enough, all his clothes were there. All neatly folded and clean. His Materia Blade stood beside the chair, leaning against the wall, it seemed to cast a shadow that jumped with life. It almost frightened Cloud, but he quickly regained his posture.  
  
"You do realize that taking me in puts all of you in trouble." It wasn't something he wanted to say but he didn't have a choice, he had to warn them.  
  
Yet no one said anything.  
  
"I'm not joking. Take care of me and the Church will not spare any of you. I've seen it happen too many times." He attempted to stand up, aside from the few lingering and still painful wounds. But the young girl who sat by him many a times pushed him back down.  
  
"You need your rest. You are not fully recovered." Her voice was so sweet. And her soft ruby eyes gave Cloud a feeling of peace that he hadn't felt in a long time.  
  
But still he lashed out attempting to warn them, "You still try to take care of me!? I just told you that the Galbados Church will not spare any of you if they find me here! And they will eventually find me!"  
  
The girl stepped away, taken back by his sudden outcry. But her father's large hands clasped her shoulders, calming her down and assuring her. Jeremiah looked at Cloud and simply responded, "We know. But we-I mean Michael and I cannot and will not toss you out of the village as if you were garbage."  
  
Cloud looked at Michael and he solemnly agreed, nodding his head. Cloud turned to the others and asked, "What about them?"  
  
They all started to turn and leave, some grumbling, other cursing at the omen that has befallen them.  
  
Jeremiah laughed wholeheartedly and replied, "They will learn to understand. You are welcome here. I will vouch for u. And till you recover, you will a be welcome."  
  
Cloud tried to smile but he just couldn't. Instead he nodded, happy to see that there was some decency still left in this world. He laid back down to rest and oddly enough, he quickly purged into darkness. Though it was a darkness that he seemed to hate. He didn't know why. Maybe because of the accompanying empty feeling he had. But……something was different this time. An image. A young girl with long brown hair. She had a very plain outfit on. A pink dress and a sleeveless red coat on top. She held a basket filled with something. Though he couldn't tell what laid in her basket, nor could he place the face that gazed at him, the mere image of this unknown entity placed him in a state of tranquility and calmness that was similar to the daughter's eyes. Her mouth moved to form words, but nothing came out. Sound was none existent. And as quickly as the image appeared, the image disappeared, leaving Cloud to suffer again in the darkness that accompanied sleep and death. But one thing entered his mind, one name.  
  
'Flower girl?'  
  
God that took forever. I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in forever. I truly apologize! I've been so busy with my brand spanking new ps2 and actually doing my schoolwork that my stories have fell into the no-no bin. That and I'm actually taking my first REAL step to becoming a real writer. I started working on a story that I plan on getting published. Not really an real original idea, but it's something that isn't copyrighted so I'm happy. Plz wish me luck on it! Any ways, give me your reviews, thoughts, ideas, etc etc. or just email me and ill promise to either respond or update real soon. Oh and if you're a real big fan of both fft and ff7 then slap this story under your favs because I came up with the biggest idea ever and it should plz both. Ummmmmm, I think that's it. Oh and one more thing. In your reviews, also put your opinion on whether or not the FF7 sequel should be a movie or not? Because unfortunately it's happening.  
  
DAMN U SQUARE ENIX! 


	4. Knight takes Rook

Chp. 4 Knight takes Rook  
  
General Elquis wadded his way into the main conference chamber, expecting to see the entire counsel of the Glabados Church. Instead he got one the lowly servants. This one still had power though and a little bit of influence. He will do for the moment.  
  
The General waved his two most loyal bodyguards away, a Lancer and a Ninja, and they obeyed. After the heavy brass door was shut, leaving him and the boy alone, he walked up to the massive table and took a seat at the end. His eyes darted across the table to catch sight of the young servant. He wore the essential white robe of a White Priest, the healer type and his short blonde hair fell down around his head. Still it infuriated Elquis that Alexie would send only a Priest.  
  
The Priest elevated his hand holding onto a single piece of old ragged paper. It was the same piece of paper that he sent to Alexie!  
  
"Is this some kind of joke." The young foolish boy asked.  
  
"Is it?" The general replied back.  
  
The priest's brows jumped up in amusement but now was no the time. "My master requests that the meaning of this be explained. He told me to tell you that this is not a funny joke if at all a joke and also tells me to remind you to know your place." The eloquence in which he spoke with obviously reveled that he had rehearsed this many times.  
  
Elquis jumped up nearly slamming his fists into the hard oak table. He would have, if it didn't look so nice nor cost so much. He was a bit of a penny pincher.  
  
"Priest Alexie dare attempts to remind me of my place? I should be doing that!"  
  
"How so?" The boy inquired?  
  
The general turned to the side, never allowing his head to turn away from the priest, and strode up to one of the many book-filled walls. He reached for a book, without even looking, and then tossed it to the priest. The book slid across the long table and hit the Priest in the lap. Old dust and other things jumped up from the book and the boy had to cough once or twice. He turned his gaze from the war-torn book to the war-torn general.  
  
"What is the meaning of this? You dare offend me with such dirty material?"  
  
"I suggest you still your tongue and open that dirty material. You may find it to be very interesting." Elquis mused.  
  
The priest did what he said and opened the book. Only after a few pages did he toss the book back onto the table and hissed. "LIES!"  
  
"Really?" Elquis asked. "Could it really be that far from the truth? Or perhaps its so close to the truth and it sounds so much like the truth, you refused to believe, thus destroying everything you believe in."  
  
The priest turned to Elquis with such a frighten look. Elquis had broken him without even trying. In fact he stood up saying, "I must leave. I have errands more important then this to attend to."  
  
As he tried to past Elquis, Elquis grabbed him by the shoulder and quietly spoke into his ears. His voice sending resonating chills across the young priest's body. "You will fetch Alexie for me? Yes? If you don't , I will personal release this to the public. Could you imagine how quickly the shift of power will be. And it wont go to Delita either. It will go straight to me." He moved closer to the boys ear, lips lightly brushing against it, "And then I'll crush the entirety of the Glabados Church. You will be NOTHING!"  
  
And with that, he released the whiter then usual Priest and took his seat at the other end of the table. The same end that the Priest had taken. He looked back at the wall behind him. It contained three stained glass pieces. One of Ajora coming to the world, another of Ajora calling forth the Zodiac Braves, and another of Lucavi slaughtering everything in sight. Elquis laughed at it all and awaited the arrival of Alexie and hopefully many others.  
  
Amazing how the world revolves around you when you hold all the cards. It is truly amazing. That young Priest had all the highest members of the Glabados Church here in only two days. Incredible. It seems that very large things could be accomplished very quickly. Now the time had come. Now was the time to take the tyrant by the knees. Now……was the time to assure his power and commence the first stage of his plans.  
  
General Elquis sat up in all his glory, gold and black Dragon armor glistening in the moonlight coming from the sky window and made an announcement. One that caused worry and frustration throughout the group of high level Priests.  
  
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen. And of course all those in-between." A joke. Obviously a joke the rest of them didn't like. He cleared his throat, a little tweaked that they didn't find his joke funny but whatever.   
  
"General Elquis." Ah, Priest Alexie. Took him forever to finally acknowledge his presence. "What do you have that caused such a…… fever in my young messenger?"  
  
Elquis smiled grimly and leaned forward in his large wooden chair. He laid his armored covered elbows on the table and then wrapped his fingers in a even mesh. He looked down at the easy to see reflection on the table and then back at Alexie. "I have something that can either make you stronger or it can break you."  
  
Mummers scattered back and forth across the table but Alexie did not seem afraid.  
  
"Really?" He said in a cold collected voice. "You have something that can break the mighty power of the Glabados Church? Please forgive me if I don't believe you immediately."  
  
The general nodded. He knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Alexie was a hard man to break. The others were nothing but little mice compared to him. However, this was not going to be an easy job. He had to play his cards right in such a way that they did not realize what he was planning until it was too late. If his plan does succeed then the Glabados Church, in all it's holiness, will crumble as so many before it.  
  
"Well, I'm merely in possession of something that could strip you of all your power."  
  
Alexie said nothing yet he attentively listened.  
  
That was one of the things that Elquis praised and respected Alexie of. Anytime, something had threatened Alexie's power, he responded with profound efficiency. That was the only reason he remained the 2nd most powerful person in the church. He only had the Master Priest to snuff out and most likely, he already had something in the works. The Master Priest was looking a little pale.  
  
"But of course it can strengthen you as well fortify your position in this world."  
  
All of them really enjoyed that part. Yet, Alexie was suspicious of his motives.  
  
The General stood up and walked to the stained glass windows and continued to play his party, his sweet ambrosia voice into the open ears of the priests.  
  
"There are three major powers in this land. Two of them are equal, only one is not as strong."  
  
"The Dragon Knight Brigade, correct?" Alexie pointed out so well.  
  
Elquis shut his eyes for a moment and absorbed the invisible remark, "Yes. Yes Priest Alexie, you are very much correct. However, I hold the cards now and I propose a truce, an agreement."  
  
The Master Priest looked at each of his disciples before looking at the back that belonged to General Elquis.  
  
"May you turn to me? Show me the respect as I would to you." His voice was unique. Powerful, equal and yet weak and grieved. He was probably the only decent guy in the room, for that Elquis turned to him. He willing give a dying man the respect he deserved.  
  
"The Germonik Scriptures." The Master Priest said.  
  
Everyone turned to Elquis, all scared to hell and back. They all knew, even Alexie knew what resides between those hallowed covers. The truth. The very same truth that every priest from here to Murond Holy Place to Zeltennia Castle to the center of the Glabados Religion, the Glabados church, had no clue of. Only certain Priest and Priestess' knew of that truth and they now sat quietly and deathly afraid in this room. Should that truth be released, there will be one less great power in the world.  
  
The General turned his head and replied, "Yes."   
  
No response. But one thing was as evident as the stars in the dark blue sky, though everyone was quiet, they were all scared shitless.  
  
The Master Priest however showed no emotion and merely stood, slowly of course. "Then it is over. The truth is out."  
  
One priest leaned back in his chair and started cursing while another put her hands together and started praying real fast to any god, real go, out there. Another priest just broke down and started crying loudly and while everyone showed signs of despair, grief, worry, hatred and many more very colorful emotions, Alexie sat as if nothing happened. And the General of the Dragon Knights Brigade knew why. It seemed that he was the only one paying attention and he was the first to play his hand.  
  
"But?"  
  
"But what?" Elquis asked.  
  
Alexie swallowed his pride and played right into Elquis' most obvious trap. He really didn't have a choice.  
  
"You wan something don't you?"  
  
"It depends on what something is." Elquis was enjoying this beyond anything. Like biting into a ripe and sweeten nectar fruit.  
  
Everyone else was attentive, with some offering bribes of riches and land, some offering entire cities, while others were offering their life as long as they kept their position and false light of dignity.   
  
Alexie attempted to read the look on Elquis' face and also tried to read his hand. What was the ace? No, he knew the ace. The gremonik Scriptures were his ace but what were the other four cards? What were the cards he needed for the best possible hand? Land? Soldiers? Power? Even with all that he still would have one more rival and that would be Delita, the King of all of Ivalice. What was his motives, his goals, what did he want beyond anything? Absolute power? Rule? Why was it so hard to figure this man out?! If only a clue….  
  
"What do you want? And don't be greedy. We could very well denounce that like everything else we've denounced." It was a long shot but Alexie refused to step down and be treated like a dog.  
  
Everyone turned to Elquis.  
  
"Denounce? I don't believe that." Elquis pushed back Alexie's bluff.  
  
Everyone turned back to Alexie.  
  
"It's quite easy actually. Who would believe who? The highest Priest and Priestess of the Glabados Church religion or a lowly non heard of 2nd rate general. You decide."  
  
Again they turned back to the General.  
  
"All I have to do with that book is plant the seeds of doubt and my work has been done. There will be those who will question the church, and they will influence others who will then rise up. That is when King Delita will come in and sweep up the confused masses. He will have an army easily many times larger then your soft Shrine Knights. Most of them on haven't seen a lick of battle in the past five years. You've been hurting yourself by sending your best knights after the heretics, when time and time again they have all fallen and you are left with a group of rookies"  
  
Alexie glared at Elquis for everything he said is very much true.  
  
"And then the humble 2nd rate General you speak of will gladly join up with King Delita to help strike the final blows to the ever oppressive and ever stupid Glabados Church. And the funny thing is that while the world closes the final chapters of the Church, I, General Elquis will quickly rise through the ranks gaining the strength and trust of many other General and Battalion leaders, including King Delita himself. After gaining the King's absolute trust and of course the people's trust, a small talk with the King and he will step down crowning me as King of all Ivalice. Already my plan has been implemented and many people wish for a new king. That king will be me."  
  
The air in the room as had the balance of power, had shifted dramatically. Everyone in that room was impressed and shocked at how that could happen.  
  
Elquis continued to reveal only minute details of his plan. "So you see, either way, I WILL have power over Ivalice and all it's territories. And you will never be a nuisance for me ever. However, with my original plan, you will still have tremendous power over the lands, in fact even more. As well as having Delita out of your way. And me you would ask? I would only be a King under the power of the Church." Elquis crossed his arms and listened well to their questions and Reponses.  
  
"But how is that possible?!"  
  
"BAH! I'm not a fool!"  
  
"But what if it's true!"  
  
Alexie stared down at the table reformulating the plan in his head and then putting it on the table like a diagram. If what Elquis said happened then in reality HE would have the power not the Church. He would still hold the Gremonik Scriptures and that is all he would require to hold the Church right where he wants it.  
  
"And to make this an even better deal, I am even willing to let you take the book." Elquis announced. He loved the faces of shock each of them gave him at that very second. Especially Alexie who was ready to give up trying to figure out Elquis.  
  
They all murmured silently between themselves and it seemed that Alexie was the only one with the balls to challenge this. "That makes no sense. That puts you under the church."  
  
"And?" Elquis slouched back in his chair. He was growing tired of this. He did have many other things to do.  
  
"I thought you wanted to be above, not below." This did not make sense.  
  
Elquis shook his head. "I only want the power to rule. And to use that power to rule right. With you guys backing me up as the King, I will have no opposition. But I would like one thing from you." Elquis rose his index finger imposing that one thing.  
  
Alexie twisted his head a little stretching out the tired muscles and listened carefully. There had to be some type of clue in this.  
  
"I wish to have full control over the armies of the Church. With them under my control and the aid of my own troops as well as King Delita's forces, the search for the Heretics will go by easily."  
  
Alexie scoffed at that one. "The full control of our armies? That's the same thing as stripping us of our power!"  
  
Elquis shook his head. "No you will still hold a overriding style of power, but that is only to be used on the most dire of situations."  
  
They continued to speak between themselves. Elquis grew even more tired of this. He didn't want to use this but it seemed he had no chance. He had to get a more on to the next phase of his plan. Time was of the essence.  
  
"Look," He leaned over, resting his elbows on the table again and spoke somewhat quietly, "I let you in on something very interesting."  
  
All except Alexie and the Master Priest had leaned closer to hear him.  
  
"As I found the Gremonik Scriptures that you thought were destroyed, I also found one other sphere like object."  
  
Oh yeah, hook, line, and sinker. Half of the group's eyes turned wide most likely imagining what it could be.  
  
"I think they are what you referred to as the Zodiac Stones? One of many I presume."  
  
They all gasped, even Alexie! Oh this was rich.  
  
"I make an even better deal, this you cannot refuse. As I am making my way to the throne, I shall aid vigorously in the search of the stones, and you will all obtain a stone to use. The Scriptures tell of how to use them. With the book and the stones you shall receive thousands of years of knowledge And even greater power. I can make you all gods!"  
  
Save of Alexie, they all smiled, even the Master Priest. I guess the idea of living forever turned him over to the dark side. Alexie remained questioning his motives however.  
  
Elquis saw the doubt in his eyes and smiled. He reached into his armor and pulled out his yellow sphere of power. "See?" The ball reflected the moonlight coming down from the sky roof. "This one is mine. The other eleven are yours to have. Once I find them of course. And the one to make sure I do this task shall be Alexie."  
  
Alexie's face took upon a look of shock as did everyone else's. They all wondered why he should be the one to make sure Elquis fulfilled his part of the bargain. Then again, he was the most able of all of them.  
  
The Master Priest rose up from his sit signaling all the others to rise up, even the slow and stunned Alexie.  
  
"So be it. The book?" He asked with his old feeble hand out opened.  
  
"Of course." Elquis stood up and walked up to the wall of books on his left. He pulled out the very same dirty and pukey book he showed to the young servant priest and slid it down the table. The Master Priest stopped the book and opened it. He quickly breezed through many of the pages and smiled. "You have a deal. Alexie shall remain here to watch over you and fulfill you part. You will be needing help to get to Delita?"  
  
Elquis shook he head and waved them off. "No need. I already have the whole plan up here." He pointed to his head and smiled.  
  
As did the Master Priest. "Very well. Good night. Alexie? I trust you to watch over him. You have one night to gather whatever you need and return. I trust Elquis will supply you with a very comfortable room?"  
  
More like a deathbed, Alexie silently stated in his mind.  
  
"I will supply him with the best room, next to mines."  
  
"Oh goody." Alexie said sarcastically.  
  
"Good. May Ajora watch over you." The Master Priest and all of his followers then left the room.  
  
"May Ajora be with you too!" Elquis called out. It made no sense to say that but whatever. He turned to Alexie who in turn turned to him.  
  
Alexie couldn't believe this. And for some odd reason, he had the distinct feeling that this is what Elquis had planned all along. That and many more things. Alexie turned to leave but stated his plans for the day ahead. "I shall return with my things and tomorrow we will discuss how you plan to obtain the King's crown. Is that reasonable?"  
  
Elquis smiled brightly and replied, "Of course. But the actual meeting wont take place for another month. Till then I hope you will be at home here."  
  
"Of course." Alexie sneered he then left.  
  
Elquis brushed back his silk white hair, laughed briefly when he left and spoke aloud, "The fools."  
  
End of chp! So what yall think? Of course review. No flames. Only suggestions and mess. But tell me what you think of Elquis. Is he a badass? Or is he just one hell of a negotiator. But still why did he give all that power to the church? What are his plans? And why is he giving them the only cards one would have to keep them in check? Maybe there are better cards out there? Or maybe he was deceiving them. Maybe……..you just have to read to find out. Oh yeah and don't mention to grammar mess, I know. I print this stuff out and reread and rewrite it so trust me, I know! Till later PEACE!!!  
  
P.s. I finally wrote down the biggest sense in the whole story. It came out even better then I thought! It was a masterpiece. Well, at least by my perspective. But you wont get it for a good minute so be patient. God, I almost can't! 


	5. A piece of me

Chp.5 A piece of me

'I still haven't found out why the hell I'm here. I still haven't found Ramza or Mustadio or any other person who may have a small clue to their whereabouts. But...does that even matter anymore? This village that I found me, it so calm and peaceful. Like an entirely new world, separated from the church and all of it's unforgivings. But can I live here? Can I abandon everything that I have lost for a new life? Should I?'

This was the argument that had plagued Cloud's mind the moment he had regained consciousness from his deep slumber. That day in the city he had been severely injured and the only thing that had helped him was the gentle kindness of Jeremiah and his followers. But now that Cloud had arrived, and in the condition that he had arrived in, the village was divided. Half of them think he is just an ordinary young man, the rest think that he is some type of demon. Hell, for all he knows, he just might be this said demon. But that wouldn't explain the things he had been feeling as of late nor the fleeting pictures that darted through his mind. As if they were incomplete, they fluttered in his vision every so often. Some the image of a massive city flanked with towers and buildings of incredibly large machinery, the likes of which he had never laid eyes upon. Or had he?

And yet as mysterious as this city had seemed, it was flanked by a blanket of coldness and hurt. It seemed, as this city if it was a city, wanted to engulf him in a trench submerged with nothing but pain. So then why did he feel willed to progress into such a dark place? One of the fleeting images, a church, came to his mind. Then followed by a bed of flowers. Cloud had no idea what this meant, but it obviously had something to do with this city and his origin.

Finding himself walking down the same path that he had been walking down for the past three weeks, he shook his head tired of trying to find answers to questions that seem irrelevant. He was happy in the quaint little village. He actually found himself with a little bit more get up and go then usual. And now he had a little area to train himself without hurting anyone else. He had even been giving some pointers to the hunters of the village, teaching them capturing techniques, better ways to skin the animals they used for food, shelter, and clothing. His techniques, unlike theirs, were more refined by years of practice just to survive. So he had a little advantage compared to them. Yet, even he had learned a myriad of new things. He had helped construct houses and barns with stables for animals. He also had helped with little stuff as cooking, learning things as well as teaching some. And here contrary to what he had thought, they followed their own religion, separate from that of the Glabados Church. They used names such as St.Ajora and the Glabados religion to hide the truth.

This religion was the Religion of Shivon and with it came a new from of magic that had been springing up from certain people. It was strongest in Jeremiah's line with his daughter beginning the next successor possibly even stronger then Jeremiah himself. This magic was called, by Jeremiah, "Blue Magic." It features a variety of different spells that inflict either pain or warmth. It isn't even a direct offense, more like the ability of the "Bards" he had seen during his travels. It increased many different attributes as well as decreased them. It was a truly terrifying art to fight against. Speaking of who, Terra, Jeremiah's daughter, the next in line for the Blue Magic Art, had found an interesting place in Cloud's heart.

Terra was an enchanting person to begin with; her long shiny green hair and her soft dark ruby eyes complemented her slender and petite form. But that wasn't where she shined. She was quite possibly one of the gentlest people on this planet. She stood amongst side Jeremiah, protecting Cloud from anyone who tried to offend him. Even though he didn't need the help, he found it funny when Terra would try to get angry with another person and they would actually back off. She looked so funny when she got angry.

And yet, he knew one thing and it tore him apart. He knew that he couldn't stay, or that he couldn't get involved with her. Even though it seemed that she was feeling something for him. He could tell, it was the small gestures that verified his suspicions. And because of this, it tore him apart that he couldn't stay. The consequences of such actions would end up being the death of everyone here! And he wouldn't allow that to happen. Not again. So Cloud had planned for his soon-to-be mysterious departure.

Today, he headed for a lake for his morning swim, early in the morning light. With the rest of the villagers asleep, and only a handful awake to watch the villagers from prowling animals, he was free to flee. It hurt him to do this, but he had no choice. Any other choice, as he has already reviewed, would end up disastrous.

Reaching the relatively small lake, encompassed with a ring of boulders that seemed to serve as it's border, he walked to the edge of the lake where an old dirty walkway was crudely built. It extended only about 20 feet, so it was probably designed for small boats. But now it only served as a relic of whatever it was used for.

Cloud walked up to the edge of the walkway and sat down for a moment to gather himself. It seemed that every time he approached water he had sudden chills, and not the ones you get when you're cold. These were tremors that made his insides ache with some dormant fear. He didn't understand what this probably was, but he had found ways to get around it. Standing back up, he proceeded to strip himself of his new black shirt, tailored by Terra herself, and then placed his newly refurbished Buster Sword on the ground. Now it had a wondrous sheen to it, recreated with a layer of a new mixture that he had created, with the help of Terra and Jeremiah's Blue Magic. This mixture was a combination of Diamond and Rune plating, two of the strongest materials in the land. Then a special coating of Blue Magic, courtesy of Terra and Jeremiah, will add a reflective ability of most magic. Now armed with a more powerful Buster Sword, he has a better chance of survival.

About to take off his steel clad boots, he suddenly stopped. Looking back up slowly, he felt a sudden chill in the air. But it wasn't like cold air just came in and brushed against his bare torso. This was a feeling that unnerved him, made him apprehensive to continue movement. This was the same feeling that he got when an enemy was nearby.

Carefully and still crouched, he reached for his Buster Sword, and latched onto it with a reverse grip. But he didn't move it. Instead he just watched the trees on the other side of the lake. Something told him that someone was watching him, most likely to attack him from a distance or the feeling would have been more alerting. This was more like trying to hide and hit him from safety.

Silence, to surround him. A forest to hide from him. And only a close range weapon to arm himself with, Cloud suddenly felt naked. Then that's when he saw it. It was just a sparkle at first but from that sparkle came an arrow that seemed almost invisible. The only thing that saved Cloud was his own nearly inhuman speed. He threw his Buster Sword up and blocked the arrow. Watching it bounce through the air, he suddenly heard a war cry and saw a figure jumping up in the air from across the lake straight down on top of him.

Cloud rolled backward with only his sword, off the dock just as the figure came down on the dock. Now, had Cloud not seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed it. The figure, guessing in their downward momentum, had crashed right through the pier, causing an eruption of water and pieces of wood. Cloud had a haphazard smile as he watched the oddly interesting spectacle. But it only lasted for only a few seconds. He suddenly found himself nearly reeling back in shock as the figure was still standing despite the fall they took and the rubble that surrounded them. And it wasn't a male fighter either. It was a female. And a very familiar female.

"You!" Cloud yelled out in surprise. It was that female Archer that he had fought before. He could tell just by the Perseus bow she wielded in her hands. That and that dark ruby glint in her eyes.

The female archer grinned with pride, whipping her wet deep brown hair to the side, and shouted happily, "Cloud Strife. At last I found you!"

Cloud groaned in disbelief and yelled in anger, "What the hell is your problem! What do you want with me! I didn't do anything to you!"

The Archer grinned again and said while walking up to him through the rubble and water, "That's not what the 5 million Gil bounty on your head says."

That surprised the mess out of Cloud. He didn't know that they had put a bounty on him, let alone 5 million! That's a lot of money for just one person. But it made sense. The Church really wants him dead.

But he didn't want to fight, not here, not so close to the village. Cloud flipped his weapon up and held it with both hands, upright. Then he ran forward with the blade ready.

The female Archer didn't think he would try a head on attack so she placed her bow up in a defensive move but Cloud had then bolted to the side and ran at top speed around the side of the lake. She cursed out loud and ran after him, arming her bow with a silver arrow. Letting it fly at extremely high speeds, the only thing that protected Cloud was the fact that he had dashed behind a large boulder and then into the forest. It was just enough time for her arrow to miss its target even if it ripped through the boulder.

"Damn it Cloud, you're only making this harder on yourself!" She yelled as she turned into the forest after him and ran at top speeds through the maze of trees and twigs. This is when she realized that she should have worn her long pants and long shirt with some armor. These twigs and branches were beating the crap out of her! Her short black jeans and white top wear not helping.

She finally reached the edge of the forest and slowed down as it emptied out onto a cliff that only extended 30 feet. It definitely was constricting fighting room. Especially for her and her bow, but she had other skills. It's just that she wasn't one hundred percent sure if Cloud was here or not. She only caught sight of his pale back around here. Speaking of which, how does someone of that small and feeble looking stature carry a weapon as heavy looking as that? It seemed odd. But he did look nice with his spiky blonde hair and his funky green eyes. It was definitely something different. Still, it all didn't matter, she had a job to do, and that cool five million was hers to take. This would be easy.

Suddenly, she heard a weird whipping sound as if something big was moving through the air. She turned to the direction of the sound and then looking up she saw the massive sword she was just thinking about come swinging down on her position. She jumped to the side dodging the thing barely and watched it axed its way a good solid four feet into the ground handle up at an angle.

"What in the-" Then out of the blue, a fist came in and hit her in the side of the face. The impact was great and the pain that came afterwards was hell. She flew back completely caught off guard by the attack and found herself skidding back a good couple of feet back near the edge of the forest. Clutching the side of her face, she looked up and it was Cloud that hit her! But the pain she felt and the size of his arms didn't for some reason equal out. It felt like her jaw was broken.

Cloud nearly collapsed. His fist hurt so much just from hitting her iron clad jaw! So much for the nice and delicate looking type. Hitting her face was like hitting a brick wall! But now wasn't the time to complain about pain. Pushing it aside, he reached out for his buster sword and with ease yanked it out of the ground. Cloud noticed that that had startled the hell out of his opponent. It was a shame too that he had to fight her. Unless he could convince her otherwise. She was a beautiful woman, a nice even tan that covered her head to toe, long slender legs moving an adequately proportioned body. But there was something else about her that irked him. It seemed to nag at his mind like a lot of things recently. But he didn't get a chance to dwell on it for long. The female Archer jumped up and charged her blindly. Cloud had already had immense close range combat experience before he had entered this world and the time here training as a Monk had only increased his devastating power. This was going to be over very soon.

Yelling out a battle cry, she swung at Cloud with her left fist but Cloud caught her hand with his left so he could then swing with more momentum with his right. However just before he swung he noticed a particular glint in his opponents eye. Suddenly, she opened her left hand and locked with his hand, and then with the speed of a Cuar, she spun backwards and cracked her other fist against the back of his head making him lean forward with nothing but pain coursing through his head. Then with the same lighting quickness she just displayed, she swung her left foot backwards, catching the bridge of Cloud's nose knocking him back again also causing him to drop the sword.

Now in a daze, unarmed, and unable to protect himself, she decided to Finnish it. She swung her leg again forward and up this time and slammed it with incredible force to the back of Clouds head practically burying him into the ground face first. Cloud nearly blacked out from the pain. He just couldn't believe that she could move that fast, it was painfully incredible. But lying on the floor like this was hazardous to his health. He rolled to the side gaining several feet between him and her but the moment he got to his feet, she was already on top of him with left kick. Cloud jumped back with the tip of her steel tipped boot grazing his bare stomach. Cloud thanked whoever was watching him for that one but didn't catch the other foot coming.

The female Archer's second kick came in and with the heel caught him on the side of the head. Then with the same speed that she had been displaying throughout the fight, she caught his arm as he was falling to the side and pulled him back just to deck him in the jaw.

Cloud stumbled backwards and tried to put up a guard but she was just too fast. She came in, then down and sweep kicked him then still spinning into a circle, she flipped and just as Cloud fell on his back, she brought her foot down on his stomach. Cloud lost all the air in his lungs as he nearly collapsed on the floor.

The Archer suddenly decided to pause and rolled backwards then flipping to her feet. Smiling with a hint of pleasure in the beat down in her soon to be five million Gil, she walked up to Cloud and placed her foot on his chest.

Cloud on the other hand, still couldn't do anything. He felt slightly paralyzed from the attacks he had received and could sense the dizzying vertigo that overshadowed his eyes. He couldn't tell what he was looking at anymore. He constantly saw five of everything.

"You men are all alike," The Archer said not even showing a hint of tiredness. "The moment you start fighting a woman, you think she's weak and have to go easy on her." She then leaned down and whispered to him, inches away from his face, "But that's fine with me. The more you do that, the easier this is for me."

Cloud choked up some blood but spit it to the side. As much as the comment itself stung his pride, she was right. He wasn't fighting to his fullest because he had completely underestimated her but it wasn't just that. It was also the fact that she made him feel weird in a way that he had never felt before. It was as if he had known this person all his life, but he had never see this dark-haired beauty before. Could it be that he had seen those eyes before? It was the eyes that stuck him the hardest. Those fire-filled jewels mesmerized him with a feeling of nostalgia.

"Hey dimwit!"

Cloud suddenly felt himself literally lifted off of the ground and being held quite forcefully by his neck. He looked at the Archer and for some reason she was visibly angered.

"Were you listening to anything I had just said?" She yelled.

Cloud could do nothing but stare at her. Aside from her earlier comments, he didn't catch what else she was saying, if anything at all.

"I said, you thick-headed Neanderthal, that now because you decided to run from me in that city instead of dying like a good little boy, that village you decided to stay in is going to be wiped out."

That caught Cloud's attention. He grabbed her hand trying to gain some air to speak but only managed a slight, "Wha-?"

The Archer laughed with a sense of amusement, "Yeah, I already notified the Church on your location. I also mentioned the Village as well considering you was hiding there for so long. Little did I know but there was a huge bounty on the whole frigging village itself. So now I get two for the effort of one. Thank you for making this so easy for me."

Suddenly an explosion was heard form the distance and several plumes of smoke erupted from the direction of the village. Cloud turned around and felt his whole world shrink from around him.

The Archer sighed and said, "I tried to convince them otherwise but apparently they really don't like those people. So I accepted despite my own wishes. At least I made a quick buck."

The moment she had said that, Cloud felt something inside him snap. It was small at first but it quickly grew into something he had never felt before. Next thing he knew, he had reached back with one hand as far as he could and swung screaming, "Burning anger rising! Wave Fist!"

The Archer's eyes got big as a torrent of energy came and hit her whole body flinging her back like a rag doll. She couldn't stop herself for nothing as she continued to slide all the way to the edge of the cliff. Nor could she stop herself from slipping just enough to fall off the cliff. She reached for the edge as she felt a weightlessness cover her. She couldn't though and felt herself go in slow motion farther and farther from the cliff. Then the craziest thing happened. She saw a pale hand come in from the shadow of the sun and grab her hand. Closing her eyes as she was jolted form the sudden drop she couldn't help but look down and see what would have been her grave. It was a shear drop about a couple hundred feet to what looked like nothing but sharp rocks and what resembled bones.

She looked back up to her savior and saw that it was Cloud!

"But-!"

Cloud pulled her back up with no effort and dropped her on the ground away from the cliff.

The Archer landed, ungracefully, on her feet and found her land legs again. Still shaking from that close brush with Death himself, she looked at Cloud with confused eyes and just as she was about to say something, he merely started walking by and past her. She was beyond shocked but then realized why he did it.

She spun around and yelled, "I'm not going to stop hunting you just because you saved my life! I'm a mercenary, I won't stop till you're dead!"

"I know." Was the simple answer.

Now even more puzzled then before, she yelled even louder, "I'm not going to be indebted to you either! I could care less about you or any one else!"

"I know." Was the simple repeat.

"Then WHY!?" She screamed, tears welling up in her eyes from all the yelling.

Cloud stopped by his Buster Sword and easily lifted it to his shoulder. He sighed and turned to her with the mostpacified look. "Someone I once used to be didn't want to see you die like that. He didn't want to see you die at all really."

Completely confused, She had no choice but to listen.

"I on the other hand would have gladly watched seeing as how you damned those innocent people. I would have smiled as you fell hopelessly into that pit. But the part of me that is the real me wouldn't let me do it. You're lucky." And with that he started jogging to the forest.

The archer watched him as he near the forest and just as he was about to disappeared into it she yelled, "I, Sonia LockHeart, will get you Cloud Strife."

Cloud stopped for a moment and looked at her for a moment.

"I swear it!" She stated proudly.

Cloud smiled and said, "I'll be waiting." He turned back around and headed for the village. By now it was already over, but it didn't matter. He would do something other then run.


End file.
